Softball

Softball Sweeps in Season Opener

Feb 08, 2017

Franklin Springs, GA – In the season opener against Montreat College, the Lady Lions started off their season with a sweep. Erin Harden started the first inning with a bang by striking out two of the three batters she faced. The bats started to heat up in the bottom of the second when Mary Baxter collected her first collegiate RBI with a sacrifice fly to right field, which drove in fellow freshman Noelle Petty. Montreat remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when they scored on a bases loaded walk. In the top of the sixth Malyn Nocera hit a solo homerun to put Montreat on top. However, the Lady Lions imminently responded with a hit by Mary Baxter that advanced Noelle Petty to second base, Alexis Costlow to third, and scored Becky Collins to tie up the game. Halle Cheek then singled to left field, which drove in Alexis Costlow making the score 3-2. The Lady Lions sealed the deal in the top of the seventh inning securing their first win of the season.

In the second game against Montreat, both teams remained scoreless until the fourth inning. In the top of the fourth inning Mikki Shelton stepped up with runners on base and delivered a single into left field scoring the first run of the game and giving Montreat the lead. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Emmanuel capitalized on the Cavaliers errors making the score 1-1. Again, in the bottom of the fifth the Lady Lions rallied and capitalized on the Cavaliers mistakes scoring three total runs and taking a 4-1 lead. Montreat stormed back in the top of the seventh eventually tying up the game at 4-4. In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, sophomore Brianna Morgan stepped up to the plate with Crystal Busbee, the potential winning run, on third base. With two strikes, Morgan hit a deep line drive into right field scoring Busbee for a walk off win for the Lady Lions.